1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid hotair heater in which a gas heater and an electric heater are incorporated in one frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a hybrid hotair heater, a combustion heater portion and an electric heater portion are incorporated in a frame and an air blowing system is constituted of one air blowing fan, as described in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 1993-322312. In this configuration, if an abnormality such as fuel run-out occurs on the combustion heater portion when the combustion heater portion and the electric heater portion are being operated simultaneously for heating, only the electric heater portion is used to continue heating.
That is, in this heater, abnormality detection means such as a sensor is provided to detect fuel run-out of the combustion heater portion, so that if an abnormality of the combustion heater portion is detected by this abnormality detection means when the combustion and electric heater portions are being operated simultaneously or the combustion heater portion is being operated for heating, the combustion heater portion is stopped in operation to continue heating by use of only the electric heater portion, thereby providing user-friendliness.
However, in this heater described above, if an abnormality occurs on the combustion heater portion, the system is automatically switched to heating by use of only the electric heater portion, so that a user of an appliance cannot readily recognize occurrence of the abnormality on the combustion heater portion, thus leaving an abnormal condition as un-cleared, which is a problem. In this case, for example, a buzzer may be mounted to the appliance to generate warning sound. However, if a user is not present around the appliance, he cannot know the abnormality eventually. Some of such abnormalities that have occurred need to be recovered by an expert, so that preferably the user recognizes an abnormal condition early and takes measures to clear this abnormal condition for safety.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a hybrid hotair heater that a user can readily recognize an abnormality, if having occurred on either one of heater portions during heating to inhibit its operation, to provide a high degree of safety and that an appliance can be used even before the abnormality is cleared, to provide a high degree of convenience.
To solve the above problem, a hybrid hotair heater according to the present invention comprises a frame which has first and second outlets formed in its front face and first and second inlets formed in its rear face and in which a gas heater portion constituted of a gas burner and a first air blowing fan arranged below this gas burner so as to mix combustion gas from the gas burner and air sucked through the first inlet in the frame and blast them out of the first outlet into a room and an electric heater portion constituted of an electric heater for heating air sucked in through the second inlet and a second air blowing fan for blasting the heated air out of the second outlet to the room are incorporated in such a manner that air blowing systems of these respective two heater portions may be independent of each other in partitioning,
wherein each of the gas and electric heater portions is provided with abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality which inhibits heating by each of the heater portions, so that if an abnormality of one of the heater portions is detected by the abnormality detection means during heating, heating of an appliance is stopped once to operate the other heater portion free of the abnormality for restarting of heating.
According to the present invention, if an abnormality which inhibits operation of one of the heater portions is detected by the abnormality detection means, heating is once stopped thoroughly irrespective of conditions of heating by the heater portions. Therefore, a user can early recognize occurrence of some abnormality on the appliance because heating is stopped and so can take measure to clear this abnormal condition early, thereby providing a high degree of safety. Then, after the user recognizes the abnormality and instructs for restarting of operation, the other heater portion free of the abnormality is operated for heating. Therefore, even in a condition where one of the heater portions has an abnormality, the other heater portion which is normal can be operated for heating, thus providing user-friendliness. It is to be noted that the abnormality detection means may preferably be a temperature sensor for preventing, for example, overheating of the appliance.
As described above, in a hybrid hotair heater according to the present invention, if an abnormality occurs on one of heaters which inhibits its operation during heating, a user can readily recognize the abnormality to provide a high degree of safety and, furthermore, can use an appliance even before the abnormality is cleared, to provide a high degree of convenience.